Dish Network...Comical Disconnection Conversation

[Markintosh]

OMG...it's entertaining because all you can do is laugh at these people.


Carol (ID: O4L): Hi, my name is Carol (ID: O4L). How may I help you?
Mark : I need to cancel my Dish service
Carol (ID: O4L): Hi Mark. Thank you for contacting the customer Loyalty Department at DISH. If you need to reference this chat my name is Carol and my operator ID is O4l.I will be happy to assist you with your request today.
Mark: thanx
Carol (ID: O4L): Please give me a moment to access your account and review your conversation with the previous agent.
Mark: ok
Carol (ID: O4L): Thank you for your patience Mike. I'm sorry to hear that you want to cancel with us. I understand that you want to find the best deal out there. I can guarantee you that we are the lowest all-digital price in America even when you just get the phone and Internet from cable. I understand your concern. I see you have been a great customer with us. DISH appreciates your business, I will be happy to offer you $10 discount a month for the next 12 months on your account no contract required. Would you like that?
Carol (ID: O4L): Mark* sorry
Mark: No thank you.
Mark: Its not just the money...cable has the only reliable fast internet in our area.
Mark: So that was the genesis for change...
Mark: and its really not up for a discussion since the change has been made.
Carol (ID: O4L): You could get the Internet through them though Mark and keep DISH for the tv. I will be happy to give you some movie channels free for 3 months.
Mark: Simplification is also a good thing though. I do appreciate your efforts - you're good at what you do.
Carol (ID: O4L): No problem Mark. I sure hope you keep us in mind.Here is what will happen now that your service is going to be cancelled. Boxes will be shipped to you as a courtesy by UPS so you can return the equipment. You will need to return the receivers, smart cards, remotes and LNBF (It is the eye piece on the arm of the dish. It is only attached by a couple of screws, and can be removed with a screwdriver).Can you retrieve this piece?
Mark: Yes we can.
Carol (ID: O4L): There will be instructions in the boxes about what needs to be returned. The boxes will be there in 7 to 10 business days after the disconnect date. There is a $17 shipping charge if you chose to use the return shipping label we provided to return your equipment. We do this to make the process as convenient as possible for you. Keep in mind that you generally save money by using our packaging, as it’s only $17 per shipping label which is as low as half the cost of other couriers.

With this promotion you have 30 days from the disconnect date to return the equipment. If we do not receive the equipment within the 30 day period, you will be charged for it full price of the equipment, which ranges between $100.00 and $400.00. The charge for the equipment will be placed on your account and/or charged to the debit or credit card we have on file for your account.

Just to verify, can I have the address you would like the boxes to be shipped to please?
Mark: Is there a local place I can drop them off? It's really not my equipment...if you want it back you can pay for shipping.
Mark: Youre making it clear I will NEVER go back to Dish
Mark: A minute ago you were all nice and friendly
Carol (ID: O4L): Per our customer agreement, you are responsible for shipping and handling, this is a valid fee Mark. I'm still nice, just telling you what needs to be done.
Mark: Did I tell you about my $17 fee for getting out a ladder in 20° weather and three feet of snow to retrieve your LNB?
Carol (ID: O4L): You don't have to get it Mark if its not easily accessible. That's why we ask,we don't want you to get hurt in the process. I will leave a note on the account for you in case you cannot get to it. You will not be charged if it's not returned.
Mark: Alright...make a note on the account that due to the $17 shipping fee, we will never ever ever consider a return to Dish.
Mark: I don't care if you offer a zillion dollar discount and free service...it's the principal.
Mark: FYI, you have now moved into "epic fail" at account retention.
Carol (ID: O4L): I'm sorry you feel that way Mark. I do my best to help my customers. The fee is a valid charge . You are more than welcome to use any other shipping method of your choice. Would you like to have the box shipped to the address on file?
Mark: Um yes....please.
Carol (ID: O4L): Perfect! "Please keep in mind when you return to Dish, your first bill will be for 1 month of service in advance."
Carol (ID: O4L): We have reviewed all the terms and conditions, do you have any questions about anything I have just disclosed to you?
Mark: Did I just not tell you I will not return to Dish? Was there confusion on that point?
Carol (ID: O4L): No problem Mark. Is there anything else I may assist you with?
Mark: Nope
Carol (ID: O4L): We are sorry to lose you as a customer, please let us know if we can be of further assistance in the future. Please keep in mind we do have the lowest all-digital price in America! Thank you for contacting DISH, and have a great evening.
Mark: Right........

[cbelt3]

My FIL returned their gizmos, and they billed him for $1,200. $400 once. He complained. They apologized. And billed him $400 again. He complained, they billed him $400 AGAIN. He told his credit card company they were fraudulent charges and refused to pay.

[rgG]

If you think DISH is bad, just wait till you have a problem with or decide to cancel cable.

[Speedy]

And Dish's upper management is so nice.

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/201...at-s-worse

"Working at Dish Network (DISH) is no walk in the park, if you read disgruntled employees’ reviews on jobs site Glassdoor.com. “Management treats you like monkeys,” complains one advanced technical support representative in Hilliard, Ohio. It’s apparently so bad that the satellite TV company is the worst employer in the U.S. in a ranking by news site 24/7 Wall St. based on reviews on Glassdoor.

“We are in the midst of a company engagement survey that is part of a concerted effort to identify issues among employees and bring forward solutions,” Dish spokesman Robert Toevs writes in an e-mail. “We are changing the ways we are doing business in an effort to win not only with customers, but also with all of our stakeholders—employees, business partners, shareholders, and the communities in which we reside.”

What’s eating everyone at Dish anyhow? Workers complain about low pay, mandatory overtime, and bad management. Yes, we all wished we worked at perk-happy playlands such as Google (GOOG), but for now, Dish Network workers can take comfort in the knowledge they at least don’t make a living at an early 20th century meat packing plant or, say, Foxconn, the embattled Taiwanese company that assembles Apple products in China.

Dish at least claims, on its careers page, to be concerned with “taking care of you today,” with medical insurance and flexible savings accounts, and “taking care of you in the future,” with life insurance and 401(k) accounts. There are no such charades at Foxconn, which bluntly states on its website that one of the “predictors of failure” is if the job candidate expresses “too much emphasis on money and benefits” at the interview or appears “overbearing, overaggressive, conceited.”

[ADent]

Charlie (Ergen) is a tightwad and treats his employees cheaply.

[CJsNvrUrly]

I enjoyed reading your conversation with Carol. Especially the part about your $17 fee, when I LOL'd.